Clothes-pin



(No Model.) 7. W. H. JOHNSON.

CLOTHES PHI.

5 .No. 548,554. Patented Oct. 22, 1895.

f v. i a if Wa Y WITINESSES UNITED STATES PATENT \VILLIAM H. JOHNSON, OF DELHI, NEW YORK.

CLOTHES-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 548,554, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed December 14, 1394. Serial No. 531,809- (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delhi, in the county of Delaware and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Pins; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in metallic clothes-pins; and it consists of the novel constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a top plan view of the metal blank struck up according to my invention. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of my finished pin applied to a clothes-line. Fig. 3 represents an end elevation of the same; and Fig. trepresents a front elevation of said finished pin by itself as manufactured for sale.

A in the drawings represents the metal blank tapering in width from one end to the other and provided at the larger end with an enlarged head 6t, preferably rectangular in shape and having rounded corners. This head is provided with an aperture a, preferably rectangular in form, and is bent laterally across its middle to form approximately square rope-engaging shoulders (L The smaller end of the blank is bent into a rope-retaining hook a the extreme end of which is bent outwardly and downwardly to form a guiding and retaining lip a. The blank is bent back and doubled upon itself so that the hook a projects a slight distance through the aperture 0. from the rear with the upper end of the lip resting upon the outer edge of the shoulder ed, by which con struction the hooked end of the pin is prevented from springing back through the aperture.

hen it is desired to apply the pin to a line on which the clothes are hanging, the pin is taken in the hand and the doubled part of the blank compressed until the hook projects sufficiently beyond the front of the blank for its projecting end a to be slipped over the clothes and rope. The spring action of the blank will hold the rope firmly seated upon the shoulders at and prevent the pin from rocking from side to side by the movement of the clothes by the wind. The pin is always held in a vertical position by the said shoulders, and to remove it from the line the doubled portion of the blank is compressed and the pin slipped upward, and, if necessary, after it is thus compressed the lip, which forms a finger-lever, may be sprung outward and thus facilitate the removal of the pin should it hang upon the clothes and line after it has been compressed, as stated.

The pin is made of any suitable spring metal that is rust-proof. \Vhen placed in a basket or the like when not in use, these pins do not become entangled with one another, as is ordinarily the case, because the hook ends are guarded by the enlarged heads through which they pass.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As an improved article of manufacture, a clothes pin consisting of a single piece of metal and having an enlarged apertured head at its upper end which is bent to form square shoulders on both sides of the aperture, the other portion of the metal being extended downward and being bent backward and up- Ward upon itself to form a spring loop and its other end passed through the aperture from the rear and formed with a downwardly extending hook engaging the opposite member near the shoulders and an outwardly and downwardly extending lip, which, when the clothes pin is in a normal position rests upon the shoulders and is prevented from springing back through the aperture; the construction being such that the clothes pin can be applied to the clothes and line by passing the line under the lip and pulling down on the pin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM H. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

W. G. Enennron, GEO. H. .MILLARD. 

